Over 60 per cent of mobile users not currently engaging with location-based services (LBS) would like to start doing so, according to the latest annual Mobile Life study from TLS.

The study explores mobile use among 48,000 people in 58 countries. According to the findings, 19 per cent of the world’s 6bn mobile users are already using LBS, with 62 per cent aspiring to do so in the future. Navigation with maps and GPS is currently the most popular motivation behind LBS uptake (46 per cent), but there is growing interest in more diverse activities, with 13 per cent of current social network users checking-in using platforms like Foursquare and Facebook Places – a 50 per cent uplift on 2011. 

LBS users are increasingly using location to enrich their social lives, with 22 per cent using it to find their friends nearby. 26 per cent use the technology to find restaurants and entertainment venues, while 19 per cent use it to check public transport schedules, and 8 per cent to book a taxi. 

Savvy LBS users have realised that there is something to be gained from sharing their locations with brands and retailers, with 12.5 per cent happy to share their location in exchange for a deal or special offer. Beyond current users of LBS, 33 per cent of users  globally who already use, or would like to use mobile voucher schemes, highly rate receiving deals when they are nearby a store that they like. 21 per cent of mobile users stated that they find mobile advertising interesting if it is offering them a deal near their current location.

“We are really starting to see location based services come of age, says James Fergusson, global head, Digital & Technology Practice, at TNS. “People are realising that sharing their location often offers some kind of reward in terms of a discount or deal. It is the combination of time and context, directing people towards a deal when they can easily redeem it, that unlocks a powerful tool for marketers to develop precise targeting approaches.”

You can access the key findings here.